ArmaLite, Inc. of Geneseo, Illinois has
been a leader in the development and manufacture of the AR rifle
design from the beginning. Since the AR-10
made a spectacular comeback with its reintroduction several
years ago, ArmaLite has again established itself as a
premier manufacturer of that wonderful rifle, assembling a
variety of configurations of the 7.62x51mm (.308 Winchester) to
suit the needs of hunters, fighters, and target shooters. Their
latest introduction is the AR-10 (T) chambered for the .338
Federal cartridge. While the .308 Winchester is a dandy hunting
cartridge, the .338 Federal offers more power for use on large
game such as elk, moose, and bear. The .33 caliber cartridges
have been popular for use on large game in this country for many
years. The legendary Elmer Keith was a fan of the .33
caliber, and had a hand in its development and popularity in the
US and Canada. While the .338 Winchester Magnum is the most
popular .33 caliber big game rifle in these parts by far, the
.338 Federal uses the same bullets, just at a slightly lower
velocity. Another way to look at it is that the .338 Federal has
as much power as the .338 magnum, but at closer distances. For
example, with a 185 grain bullet, the .338 Federal has the same
velocity at 150 yards as the .338 Magnum does at 300 yards. Now,
when you get into the heavier weight bullets pushing 250 grains
and up, the larger case capacity of the Magnum really shines,
but the .338 Federal holds its own, and is entirely suitable for
medium to large game at reasonable distances. However you want
to look at it, the .338 Federal is a very good cartridge, and a
welcome addition to the .308 cartridge case family. I really
love the .358 Winchester, which shares the same case as the .308
and .338, but with a slightly larger bullet. The .338 Federal
splits the difference between these two cartridges, and even
though I have a soft spot in my heart for the good old .358, the
.338 Federal might just technically be a better cartridge. There
are certainly a great variety of .338 caliber bullets available
for handloading, and there are already four very good factory
loads for the .338 Federal, while factory loads for the .358 are
a bit harder to find. Practically speaking, both the .358
Winchester and the new .338 Federal are excellent cartridges;
very efficient, and powerful enough to take any game on this
side of the world. The .338 Federal has been available in bolt
action rifles for a while now, but ArmaLite has just recently
started producing semi-auto rifles chambered for the cartridge,
and when I learned of this, I had to get my hands on one.

The AR-10(T) reviewed here is very similar to
the .308 AR-10(T), but with a larger bore. The two cartridges
share the same case, so the two rifles use the same bolt, bolt
carrier, and magazines. The .338 rifle shown here ships in a
hard case with two ten-round magazines, but can use ArmaLite
twenty and twenty-five round magazines as well. The ten-round
mags work very well off the bench, and are the ones that I
personally prefer.

The .338 AR-10(T) has a heavy twenty-two inch
free-floated stainless steel barrel with a target crown. The
barrel measures .800 inch ahead of the gas block, which has a
section of integral Picatinny rail for mounting a front sight or
other accessory. The ventilated aluminum handguard has seven
threaded holes along its bottom for mounting accessories and
rail sections as well. One of the best features of this ArmaLite
rifle is its trigger. It has a two-stage match trigger that
releases crisply at barely over four pounds, and is infinitely
better than a standard AR trigger for accurate rifle work. The
AR-10(T) weighs in at nine and three-quarters pounds with an
empty magazine in place, and has an overall length of 41.5
inches. The upper receiver of the AR-10(T) has a case deflector,
but no forward assist. Some shooters prefer a forward assist on
a rifle, but I do not. If a round will not chamber, I do not
want to force it in. I want it out of there. The case deflector
is a welcome feature for left-handed shooters like me. The
standard A2 style buttstock is comfortable to use, and has a
handy storage compartment for essentials. Last year while deer
hunting, I was getting mighty hungry, and hadnít brought along
my usual can of Spam. I was hunting with an AR-15, and
happened to remember that there might be a candy bar in the
buttstock, as I tend to use that compartment for such
necessities. Sure enough, there was a Snickers bar
leftover from the year before. It saved my life, as it had been
at least three hours since I had eaten breakfast! Anyway, that
buttstock storage compartment can come in handy at times.

Like most AR style rifles, the ArmaLite .338 was
very easy to shoot. Recoil is straight back, and not
uncomfortable at all. I fired the test rifle for accuracy at 100
yards using the three types of factory ammo that I had
available. I tested no handloads, and there is really no need
for me to try to develop any. The factory ammunition covers any
hunting need, and was very accurate as well. The largest group
fired during accuracy testing measured less than one inch. The
200 grain Fusion and the 180 grain Federal Premium
load using the Nosler Accubond bullet would both group
under one-half inch at 100 yards, and do it all day long. Cold
barrel, warm barrel, or hot barrel, it didnít matter.
Functioning was perfect during the bench testing and field
testing sessions with the weapon. Testing was limited to the 120
rounds that I had on hand. All ammo fed and fired perfectly.
Velocities were recorded using my Chrony Master Beta
chronograph. I have been using this while my two PACT
machines are away, but I am beginning to really like this
Chrony. Velocities were recorded at a distance of twelve feet
from the muzzle, and are listed in the chart below in
feet-per-second (fps). Accuracy is listed in inches or fractions
thereof. Bullet weights are listed in grains. Chronograph and
accuracy testing was performed at an elevation of approximately
600 feet above sea level, with an air temperature varying
between seventy-three and eighty-six degrees Fahrenheit.
Accuracy is the average of all groups tested with the same ammo.

Ammunition

Velocity

Accuracy

Federal Premium Barnes 185 TSX

2695

0.937"

Federal Premium Nosler 180 Accubond

2846

0.437"

Federal 200 Fusion

2648

0.491"

I was delighted with the accuracy displayed by
the rifle and ammunition. Even the relatively inexpensive Fusion
ammo performed superbly, and this should make an excellent
whitetail load. The accuracy was boringly consistent with all
three types of ammo tested, and I could predict every time where
the bullet would land, as this rifle is just so easy to shoot
well. The Leupold Mark 4 scope, with its excellent
optical clarity, made the accuracy testing easy on the eyes, as
the resolution is near perfect. I attached the scope atop the
rifle using my ArmaLite 30mm one-piece base/ring system.

The ArmaLite AR-10(T) is not an inexpensive
rifle, but is a good value. It shoots as well as any AR on the
market, and better than most, while packing a considerable punch
in its .338 Federal chambering. The .338 AR-10 is a very
reliable, match-accurate rifle capable of taking large game,
while also offering a lot of firepower for more serious
purposes. Check out the AR-10(T) online at www.armalite.com.

For a closer look at the extensive line of
Leupold optics, go to www.leupold.com.